EP0355738A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluorophotometer for use in automatic equipment of chemical analysis for measuring the intensity of fluorescence in the automatic equipment
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1989-08-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-08-18
Abstract
Abstract A fluorophotometer for use in automatic equipment of chemical analysis is disclosed which includes a shutter (45) provided in an optical system (17 to 22, 25) on the exciting light side for blocking the optical path of exciting light, a shutter driving device (44) for driving the shutter so that the shutter is kept at a state that the optical path of exciting light is blocked and then kept a state that the optical path of exciting light is made open, each time a train of reaction vessels is intermittently moved, and a processor (43) for storing a first output signal which is delivered from a photodetector (30) for the detection of fluorescence in a period when the optical path of exciting light is blocked, and for correcting a second output signal which is delivered from the photodetector in a period when the optical path of exciting light is made open, by the first output signal. Further, a method of measuring the intensity of fluorescence in the automatic equipment of chemical analysis is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Hashimoto
- 👤 Hiroshi Umetsu
- 👤 Kyoko Imai
- 👤 Masumi Kawase (née Suzuki)
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:08
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/62; G01N21/63; G01N21/64; G01N21/6428; G01N2201/00; G01N2201/06; G01N2201/064; G01N2201/0648; G01N2201/12; G01N2201/124
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
A fluorophotometer for use in automatic equipment of chemical analysis, comprising: a reaction vessel train moving device (2, 3, 3a) for moving a train of reaction vessels (1) at a predetermined time interval so that the reaction vessels are successively placed at a light measuring point (A); an optical system (17 to 22, 25) on the exciting light side for irradiating the reaction vessel placed at the light measuring position with exciting light; an optical system (27 to 29) on the fluorescence side for detecting fluorescence by a first photodetector (30), the fluorescence being emitted from a measured sample (26) contained in the reaction vessel placed at the light measuring position; a shutter (45) disposed in the optical system on the exciting light side for blocking the optical path of exciting light; a shutter driving device (44) for driving the shutter so that the shutter is kept at a state that the optical path of exciting light is blocked and then kept at a state that the optical path of exciting light is made open, each time the train of reaction vessels is moved; storage means (65b) for storing a first output signal which is delivered from the first photodetector (30) in a period when the optical path of exciting light is blocked; and a processor (43) for correcting a second output signal which is delivered from the first photodetector in a period when the optical path of exciting light is made open, by the first output signal stored in the storage means, to obtain measured data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
257 words
A fluorophotometer for use in automatic equipment of chemical analysis, comprising: a reaction vessel train moving device (2, 3, 3a) for moving a train of reaction vessels (1) at a predetermined time interval so that the reaction vessels are successively placed at a light measuring point (A); an optical system (17 to 22, 25) on the exciting light side for irradiating the reaction vessel placed at the light measuring position with exciting light; an optical system (27 to 29) on the fluorescence side for detecting fluorescence by a first photodetector (30), the fluorescence being emitted from a measured sample (26) contained in the reaction vessel placed at the light measuring position; a shutter (45) disposed in the optical system on the exciting light side for blocking the optical path of exciting light; a shutter driving device (44) for driving the shutter so that the shutter is kept at a state that the optical path of exciting light is blocked and then kept at a state that the optical path of exciting light is made open, each time the train of reaction vessels is moved; storage means (65b) for storing a first output signal which is delivered from the first photodetector (30) in a period when the optical path of exciting light is blocked; and a processor (43) for correcting a second output signal which is delivered from the first photodetector in a period when the optical path of exciting light is made open, by the first output signal stored in the storage means, to obtain measured data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 1, wherein the optical system on the exciting light side includes a second photodetector (24) for monitoring the exciting light, and wherein the processor includes means (71) for calculating a ratio of the corrected output signal to the output signal of the second photodetector, to obtain measured data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 2, wherein the optical system on the exciting light side further includes light splitting means (23) for directing part of the exciting light toward the second photodetector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 3, wherein the shutter (45) is disposed between a light source (17) included in the optical system on the exciting light side and the light splitting means (23).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 2, further comprising a first A-D converter (38) for converting the output signal of the first photodetector into a digital value and a second A-D converter (40) for converting the output signal of the second photodetector into a digital value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 5, wherein the processor includes means (70) for taking in the outputs of the first and second A-D converters substantially at the same time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 1, wherein the shutter driving device includes means (68b, 69b, 70) for making the optical path of exciting light open, only for a period when the fluorescence emitted from the measured sample in the reaction vessel is measured by the optical system on the fluorescence side.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
114 words
A fluorophotometer according to Claim 1, further comprising a comparator (30) for comparing the output signal of the first photodetector with a reference signal, a plurality of amplifiers (31, 32, 33) having different amplification factors for amplifying the output signal of the first photodetector, a plurality of switches (S₁, S₂, S₃) connected to the amplifiers on a one-to-one basis, selection means (41, 37) for selecting one of the switches in accordance with the output signal of the comparator (30) to operate an appropriate one of the amplifiers, and means (71) included in the processor (43) for correcting the measured data in accordance with the amplification factor of the amplifier selected by the selection means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
45 words
A method of measuring the intensity of fluorescence in automatic equipment of chemical analysis, the method comprising the steps of: moving a train of reaction vessels at a predetermined time interval so that the reaction vessels are successively placed at a light measuring position (A);
Claim 11
Independent Claim
45 words
A method of measuring the intensity of fluorescence in automatic equipment of chemical analysis, the method comprising the steps of: moving a train of reaction vessels at a predetermined time interval so that the reaction vessels are successively placed at a light measuring position (A);
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
103 words
blocking the optical path of exciting light incident on the reaction vessel placed at the light measuring position, by a shutter (45); storing a first output signal delivered from a photodetector (30) in a period when the optical path of exciting path is blocked, the photodetector being used to detect fluorescence; driving the shutter (45) so that the optical path of exciting light is made open; storing a second output delivered from the photodetector (30) in a period when the optical path of exciting light is made open; and correcting the second output signal by the first output signal to obtain measured data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
103 words
blocking the optical path of exciting light incident on the reaction vessel placed at the light measuring position, by a shutter (45); storing a first output signal delivered from a photodetector (30) in a period when the optical path of exciting path is blocked, the photodetector being used to detect fluorescence; driving the shutter (45) so that the optical path of exciting light is made open; storing a second output delivered from the photodetector (30) in a period when the optical path of exciting light is made open; and correcting the second output signal by the first output signal to obtain measured data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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